True Family
by Chatty Blue Kirby
Summary: If the Koopalings aren't actually Bowser's kids... Who are they really? Where did they come from? Who are their true families?
1. The Terrible Secret

Iggy and Lemmy groaned as the intercom in their room rang. Iggy yawned and smacked it, turning in his bed to face the ceiling. What time was it? Iggy rubbed his eyes and faced the intercom.

"Yeah, King Dad?" he wearily said.

Right away, Bowser's booming voice pierced the room. "Boys, I have something...very important to discuss with you! Get to the throne room immediately!" Iggy and Lemmy fell out of their beds, dazed from the loud wake up call. Reluctantly, Iggy stood up first, helping Lemmy up onto his yellow, orange star ball.

"Thanks, Iggy," Lemmy said as he rubbed his eye.

"No prob. Whaddaya think King Dad's gonna tell us?" The two exited their room and entered the still dark corridors of their home castle.

"Probably gonna chew us out for our last attempt at getting Mario..." Lemmy shuddered, remembering the day they all piled into the Clown Car and used their magic to enlarge Bowser. Of course that had to result in the whole car getting knocked away. And they were all still a bit sore.

Iggy sighed and rubbed the back of his head. The one time they all followed his idea, and it ended up terribly wrong. Luckily only Wendy and Roy were upset. Iggy and Lemmy's steps were the only sound in the hallway until the sound of a door opened.

"Morning Ludwig," Iggy greeted as their elder brother left his room and joined them.

"Good morning, brothers," he replied, trying to comb his hair with this claws. "Did King Dad summon you as well?"

"Yeah. Whaddaya think he wants?"

"Not sure. Let us hurry."

The trio hurried to the throne room, where Morton, Roy, Larry, Wendy, and Bowser Jr. already were gathered. Roy and Wendy grimaced at the twins as they entered and joined the line of siblings. Bowser was already on his throne, his expression remaining straight. Nobody could tell what he was thinking.

"Good. You're all here," the King mumbled. "I've called you all here because... There's something I think all of you are old enough to be told."

"What is it, King Dad?" Wendy asked, honestly curious. Bowser took a deep breathe, unsure how to say what he wanted to.

"Recently, one of you found out about a...secret I've been hiding from all of you. You all are different, and you can see that, right?" Bowser began. The Koopalings looked at each other with uncertainty. Even Lemmy and Iggy didn't look the same now, except when they were younger. "This is very hard to say," Bowser mumbled to himself. "The truth is... Only Jr. is my actual child."

The Koopalings gasped. It was as if they were thrown into a hard wall, and their whole world fell apart. The shock was clear on their faces. What did he say? Even Jr. was taken aback. Bowser examined all their faces, taking in the shock and surprise. He then sighed, probably from relief or remorse.

Roy was the first to speak up. "So, NONE of us, except Jr., are you kids? What're you saying?!"

"I'm saying that you're all...adopted," Bowser answered. Remorse was clear on his face. It was rare seeing him upset, and it was even rarer to see him regretful of his actions.

"Adopted?!" Wendy cried. "I'm not actually your little girl, daddy?" She wiped and escaping tear from her eye, trying not to show her weakness. She hated to be seen crying. She's a mature teen! She grew out of crying. But this was different. Bowser approached the Koopaling and pet her head.

"I'm sorry I kept this from you," he finally said after a long silence. Another long silence swept over the throne room again.

"SORRY?!" Ludwig finally shouted. "So, you kept this a secret from us ALL THIS TIME, AND YOU'RE JUST NOW TELLING US?!" He was practically scolding Bowser now! Where did he suddenly get the gall?! Lemmy and Iggy backed up. This had to be a dream. Ludwig was yelling at Bowser? Unheard of! On a usual day, Bowser would've probably sent Ludwig to the dungeon. But today was different.

"Ludwig, please underst-"

"NO! I am just...just...DONE!" The crazy haired Koopaling stormed out of the room, fuming.

Bowser sighed once again, holding his head. The others looked on in astonishment. "I am so sorry, kids," he softly said, loud enough for them to hear.

"All this time, I never had a real sibling?" Jr. asked. Bowser nodded. "Dad, why?"

"I... I couldn't bear to tell you. But today, I just felt I...couldn't keep it in any longer."

"So what now?" Morton asked, at a lost for words for once.

"Nothing will change. I just felt it was time to know. Right now... You may go and do about your business." The Koopalings just stayed. "Go!"

They dispersed. Iggy and Lemmy looked for the others' expressions. Morton looked devastated, and for once he didn't say anything. Larry looked back at Bowser, who was looking out the window. The blue haired Koopaling stopped and opened his mouth, then closed it and ran out, to the garden. Wendy had already ran out, finally letting out all her tears without shame. Roy, however, just kept his calm expression and left.

"Does this mean we're not brothers, King Dad?" Lemmy asked, turning around. The king looked at the small tween in the eye, then looked out the window.

"I'm not even sure," he replied. Lemmy's eyes widened. "For all we know, none of you are related. I still love you all. Remember that."

"King D-" Lemmy stopped. "Your Highness, where did we come from then?" Bowser looked surprised at Lemmy. Your Highness? Oh no...

He took a deep breath. "I remember how I found all of you... Do you really want to know? Can this wait?"

"No, King Dad," Iggy defied. "Please, we beg of you. Tell us!" Bowser sighed again.

"Take a seat..."


	2. A Knock in the Night

Me: Man, it's hard for me to be able to write these guys IC. So, I apologize in advance if I don't portrat some characters right. Anyway, here we go! (I should've said before, but all characters belong to Nintendo. I'm bad at remembering.)

* * *

Lemmy sat down on his ball, and Iggy sat next to him. Bowser continued to stare out the window, before finally turning and taking a seat on his throne.

"I remember finding each and every one of you. They were all fateful days. Now, Ludwig. He was the first one I found. It all started the night after Mario first defeated me..."

* * *

Bowser growled as he recovered in bed. The lava didn't hurt very much, but his dignity stung at every mention of that fiendish plumber. How dare he disrupt the Koopa King's plans?! The king drifted to sleep, allowing himself to recover on his soft, silk bedsheets.

In the midst of night, a knock emerged on the door. Bowser wearily opened one eye. The knocking increased in volume, agitating him. 'The guards better get that...' thought Bowser. But the knocking continued until Bowser came to the conclusion that the rookie guards, who replaced those lost when Mario defeated him, were loafing.

Groaning, the Koopa King got out if bed, almost fully healed. His thudding footsteps echoed in the halls, along with the knocking. But as he approached the giant, wooden doors that led to the outside, the knocking stopped. Raising his eyebrows, Bowser opened the doors. Nobody was there. He looked left and right, but there was no sign of anybody.

"Darn kids and pranksters," he mumbled to himself. He turned to go inside, when a cry came from the ground. Bowser looked on the ground to find a baby Koopa crying at his feet, bundled in a blanket. His eyes widened as he picked up the child. The baby had one tooth in his mouth. A mess of blue hair sat on the child's head, ruffled and messy.

Bowser soothed the baby by cradling him in his arms. Nobody else was around. He probably had to take of him. Looking up, the king entered his castle. The baby continued to cry, to be rocked some more by the king. A nearby creaky, wooden door opened, and Kamek came out.

"Your Majesty, is everything alright?" the old Magikoopa asked.

"I found a baby on the doorstep," Bowser answered. Kamek rubbed his eyes before the sight of the King holding the small bundle.

"A...baby?" He took the young Koopaling from Bowser, rocking him as he started to fall asleep. "Someone left a baby?"

"Yeah. Somebody must've abandoned him. But when I went to answer the door, nobody was around. Can you use your magic to find this fellow's parents?" The old wizard swept a hand over the sleeping child slowly, a blue aura glowing. He shook his head after a moment.

"I can't find anything... In the meantime, why don't YOU take care of this little one?" Of course, the King looked surprised.

"Me? Take care of a child?" he stuttered. "No. Out of the question. I have more important matters to take care of." He turned away, about to walk back to his bedroom. But he stopped when the baby started to cry.

The child's cry echoed in the empty room, immediately catching the attention of Bowser. Kamek tried to console the baby, but in vain. Bowser finally turned with a small growl, about to yell at the baby to be quiet, but stopped himself before he could.

"Your Majesty?" Kamek nearly shouted over the wails. Bowser slowly reached for the baby, his hands gently taking the child into his arms. By shaking the child himself, he managed to calm him down.

"Shush," Bowser softly said.

Kamek hid a tiny smile inside. "He seems to like you, Your Majesty," he commented. Bowser shot Kamek a quick glare before staring intently on the child.

"I still need you to try and track down this child's parents," he bluntly ordered. "In the meantime, I guess I could take care of him."

"What'll you name him?" Bowser stopped rocking for a second, before continuing.

"A name, eh?"

"We'll need to call him SOMETHING. After all, what if we never find his parents?" Kamek caught himself. It was basically like he was disobeying the King.

"You're the greatest Magikoopa in the land, and you dare doubt yourself?" Bowser growled, hoping he didn't wake the baby.

"No no no!" Kamek shook his hands. "I'm just saying... You should call him something."

"I'm not good with names, you know... I'll think of something later. Goodnight Kamek."

"Goodnight Your Majesty," Kamek bowed before entering his room. Bowser sighed heavily. What had he just gotten himself into? At least the baby was quiet now. The King trudged back to his room, tired, with bundled baby in arms.

Upon entering his room, the Koopa King realized he had to share his bed now. At least, until he got the child a crib or something. Grumbling, the exhausted Koopa cleared a bit of space, bordering some of the bed woth pillows so the child wouldn't fall off.

And of course, once Bowser finally settled into bed, the baby started to cry again. Reluctantly, the King sat up and cradled the child again, to no avail this time.

"No no, go back to sleep," Bowser whispered gently. Suddenly, the child spat out a fireball! Luckily, Bowser tilted his head to the side in time, and the fireball dispersed harmlessly in midair. However, as Bowser tilted to the side, his elbow knocked into his nightstand, knocking over a small radio. Upon hitting the ground, the radio started, playing a song from Ludwig von Koophoven.

And, as if by some miracle, the baby stopped crying. Bowser paused to take in the surprise. He carefully set down the sleeping child. Maybe... Maybe this wouldn't be so bad. He tenderly lay a hand on the baby's ruffled, blue hair. Come to think of it, Koophoven had ruffled hair as well. The Koopa King gave a heavy sigh before settling in his spot of the bed once again.

"Goodnight... Ludwig."

* * *

"That's an amazing story," Iggy commented.

"But you never found out who left Ludwig?" Lemmy asked.

"Nope," replied the king. "Even after 18 years. Kamek's magic just didn't work for some reason. Even with sending scouts to look for possible, potential parents, we couldn't find them."

"That's too bad..."

"How about Roy?" Iggy asked. "Morton? Wendy? Larry? Us?"

"I'm getting there, I'm getting there!" Bowser roared. He settled down, a bit relieved Iggy and Lemmy didn't seem as upset at him. "Now, Lemmy, you were a different story..." he continued. "You know how you're older than Iggy, but you were twins, right?" The two boys nodded. "I can explain..."

* * *

Me: Well, there ya have it! But the whole fanfic's not gonna be just backstory, I promise. What do I mean? You'll just have to wait!


	3. Winter Surprise

Me: Oh hi. Nothing to say here. Except all characters belong to Nintendo. :)

* * *

It was about 4 years since Bowser found Ludwig. The King was often annoyed by how the child burst blasts of flame and cried throughout the night, but he was still a pleasure to have around. It was December now. Snow was once again piling up around the castle. Ludwig gazed at the white, fluffy wonder, and tugged on his father's leg.

"Not now, son," he said. Another tug on the leg. "I'm working on a plan to defeat Mario. Maybe later." A blast of fire missed him by an inch. "WHOA! Alright, alright..." Defeated, Bowser grumbled as he gave Ludwig a blue, knit cap and a red scarf. The King himself donned a red scarf as well as he and the child exited the castle.

Ludwig excitedly ran around in the snow, not caring when he tripped. He hugged the snow with glee, making snow angels. Bowser watched nearby, hands folded behind his back. Then, an idea popped into his head.

"Ludwig!" he called. The blue haired Koopaling turned. "I'll be right back!" He quickly left back inside. Meanwhile, the patient child stood still. No sound except for the occassional wind. But as a gust of wind blew through his ears... He heard a cry. The child turned his head around.

"I found it!" Bowser came back with a sled. He placed Ludwig on in, and sat on it himself. Somehow they both fit. Ludwig laughed, awaiting what they were doing. The slid down the hill of snow, which got steeper with every passing second. Eventually, it got so steep, both of them fell off! Bowser rolled down the hill, while his son was flung high into the air and landed on the snow.

Ludwig pulled his head out of the snow, shaking the snow out of his hair. He heard it again... The cry. It came from the woods, and it was clearer than before. Bowser picked himself up as Ludwig ran off into the nearby woods.

"Ludwig, wait! Where are you going?!" Bowser followed him. Ludwig made all the right turns, and eventually found that the cry came from above. In the tree? The child jumped up ineffectively, wanting to reach the tree above. Bowser came up, panting. "Son, you know you shouldn't run-"

"Papa!" Ludwig pointed up, prompting Bowser to look up. The cry once again emerged. Bowser's eyes widened as he stood on his toes, seeing something wrapped in an orange blanket. He took it and found, once again, a baby.

"Well, whaddaya know..." Bowser smiled. Another little baby to take care of! He had to admit, taking care of children was kinda fun. Sort of troubling, but fun. He cradled the very small Koopaling in his arms. The sleeping baby's hair stood up, like a mohawk. His hair was like a rainbow in a way, pink, yellow, and blue.

"Papa?" Ludwig shivered.

"Let's go back, son," Bowser picked up his other child, and head back to the castle. There, the father searched his library for a while. In the meantime, Ludwig poked around with his new brother, who squirmed at every touch. Finally, Bowser came up with a baby name book. After flipping through a bunch of names, Bowser found a good one.

"I like Lemuel. Lemuel's a good name, dontcha think? In fact, I had a friend named Lemuel. He's a Cheep Cheep trainer, but a nice guy." Ludwig shot him a strange look.

"Lemmy?"

"No, Lemuel."

"No, Lemmy!" Bowser glanced at the baby again.

"Alright. Lemmy it is. As a nickname, at least." He smiled and ruffled Ludwig's hair, then placed Lemmy in a nearby crib. Kamek entered the library, a milk bottle in his hand. He handed it to Bowser, who gave it to Lemmy.

"Doing well, Your Majesty?" Kamek asked. Bowser nodded. "So... You're actually going to care for this child too?"

"I don't see why not," Bowser shrugged. "Ludwig's pretty easy to take care of, so this one could be too."

"Your Majesty, do you think these two would react well to finding out they're adopted in the future?" Kamek asked.

"..." The Koopa King couldn't think of what to say.

"Do you think they'd bode well knowing they were abandoned?"

"I don't WANT them to be upset... I bet I could convince them I'm their father..."

Kamek rubbed his chin. "Then again... What if they find out you've been lying to them?"

Bowser heaved a sigh, conflicted. He didn't want the two to know they were abandoned, but he didn't want them to find out they've been lied to either... It was a hard decision, but eventually the King made a choice.

"Kamek, please prepare an amnesia potion." The old Magikoopa nodded and left. Ludwig, who had been watching the whole conversation silently, looked up at Bowser.

"Papa?" Bowser cleared his throat.

"Don't worry, we're just erasing your memory of finding Lemmy," he explained. "It won't hurt, I promise." Kamek reentered, a flask of pink liquid in his hand.

"It's ready, Your Majesty," he announced.

"Thank you, Kamek," Bowser said as he took the potion. "Ludwig, come here." The Koopaling approached. As Bowser gently opened the child's mouth, he let the potion bring itself to his mouth. Ludwig drank the potion, his eyes drooping until he fell asleep completely.

"It's been done." The old Magikoopa readjusted his glasses.

"I hope I've made the right choice." Bowser swept a hand over Ludwig, patting his blue hair.

"I'm sure you have." Bowser glanced at Kamek, reassured. He then glanced at Ludwig, picking him up and placing him up on the nearby sofa. Bowser got up and took Lemmy from his crib, smiling at the little joy. The child squirmed, reaching for the lullaby mobile hanging above his crib. It looked like he was reaching for the ball on the end of the mobile. Bowser chuckled and gave Lemmy a pat on the head.

* * *

"Cool story, Dad!" Lemmy grinned. Then, it faded. "I mean, Your Highness..." Bowser frowned and ruffled Lemmy's mohawk.

"Hey, I still love all of you like my actual children. Being adopted doesn't change the fact that you can call me Dad." The small Koopaling smiled, then nodded.

"We're going in order, aren't we?" Iggy asked as he changed his sitting position so his legs straightened. "What about Roy?"

"Oh yeah, Roy," Bowser continued. "His was a REALLY different story. Now, you know how there's a saying that storks bring babies, right? Well..."

What he didn't know was that Roy stood outside the throne room doors, which were slightly open. He stood against the wall, arms crossed and the cool expression remaining on his face.

* * *

Me: I'm not sure if I can get the next chapter in tomorrow. After all, I have so many more fanfics I'm considering posting. But anyway, next time: Roy's Story.


	4. Unusual Storm

Me: Wow. It it just me, or is this chapter REALLY long? Oh well. All characters belong to Nintendo. I just own the story. :)

* * *

Larry entered the hall, noticing Roy just standing there from the garden.

"What're you doing, Roy?" he asked. The older Koopaling simply held out a hand.

"He's telling Iggy and Lemmy about how he found all of us."

"Rea-"

"Shut up! He's telling my story now." Larry obeyed without hesitation and peeked around the door while on his knees.

Inside, Bowser looked up thoughtfully. "It all started on a stormy day."

* * *

Bowser watched as Lemmy climbed onto his first ball, a bright blue ball with white stars. The child managed to hug the sphere before rolling and harmlessly falling to the ground again. He really adored bouncy balls, didn't he? Ludwig sat nearby, reading a book on chemistry. It had only been a month since Lemmy was found. Koopas grow fast, y'know? Thunder boomed outside, startling the two children.

"Papa?" Ludwig tugged at Bowser's leg. The King looked down at his frightened child.

"It's just Lakithunder. Probably just goofing off like he likes," Bowser assured. Another fierce boom echoed in the sky. Ludwig's eyes widened as Lemmy let out a cry. Bowser approached the baby and cradled him in his arms. Looking wistfully out the window, Bowser continued to soothe his son. "He sure does seem trigger happy today..."

"Sire, are you there?" came a voice from the door.

"Come in," he replied. The door opened to reveal Corporal Paraplonk, a Paratroopa general who used a red bucket as a helmet.

"Sire, we've just gotten word that there's been trouble in Sky Land," Paraplonk reported with a salute.

"What sort of trouble?"

"All we know is that there's someone terrorizing the people there! It's starting to affect the minions there, and boy, they're quitting their jobs with that menace around! It's terrible! My cuz told me it's like a whole firestorm there! Not that I'd know what it is, but still. And don't get me started with-"

"ALRIGHT!" Bowser roared, irritated. "I GOT IT." Paraplonk fell from the shock, then hurriedly left. Bowser got up from his chair, looking up one more time at the dark sky.

"Papa?" Ludwig squeaked. The Koopa King only glanced at the child.

"I'll be back soon," he said. But as soon as he left the room, Ludwig picked up Lemmy, bundled up in a blanket, and silently followed their father.

After stocking up on a few hammers, Bowser piled into his Clown Car. As the engine started and the garage door on the ceiling opened up, Ludwig stowed away, trying not to make a sound as he hid behind a box and covered he and Lemmy with a blanket. The sky was still dark, bolts of lightning streaking across the sky.

"Looks like this menace is really doing a number," Bowser growled. Suddenly, a bolt nearly struck the Clown Car! "WHOA!" Bowser shouted, veering past a sudden barrage of bolts! Ludwig shivered and held his brother close to him. Meanwhile, the Koopa King finally found an opening to the clouds above and steered for it!

He sighed as he parked the vehicle and grabbed his bag if hammers. Unfortunately, the bag sat on top of the box Ludwig and Lemmy hid behind. And of course, it was easy to see their figures under the blanket. Bowser tore it off to find his two sons.

"Ludwig?! Lemmy?!" Ludwig giggled and reached for his father, who picked him up. "I told you two to stay!"

"Nope," the child defied, still innocently smiling. He was getting harder to take care of. Bowser sighed, once again, and set Ludwig down, handing him Lemmy in the process.

"Stay CLOSE behind me, got it?" the Koopa King ordered. "I guess now would be a good time to show you some combat." That was the moment Bowser had an epiphany.

He could maybe even raise Ludwig and Lemmy to fight Mario! It was clear Ludwig was already loyal to him, and he's clever and can breathe fire already! Just imagine him grown up! And who knows how Lemmy'll turn out? Bowser smiled on the inside. Then he frowned. What if they got hurt?... Nah, they're both tough, like him!

Bowser's thoughts were interrupted when a lightning bolt misses his feet! He jumped back, Ludwig hiding behind him while carrying Lemmy. Bowser brought out a hammer as a cloud descended.

'Time to meet this menace,' the Koopa King thought. The cloud descended to reveal... A child. A Koopa child, in fact. He wore a purple shell with spikes, just like Bowser and his kids. But his head was pink, and a pair of shades rested where his eyes were.

"A kid? The public menace is a KID?" Bowser asked, a bit shocked (no pun intended). The kid laughed and turned around, then faced Bowser again with a lightning bolt in hand! The child laughed and hurled the bolt at Bowser! Bowser barely jumped out of the way in time, with Ludwig following!

'What do I do?!' Bowser thought to himself. 'I can't just hurt a kid! I gotta calm him down or somethin'... And this bag of hammers is pretty useless now.' Once again, his thoughts were interrupted when a bolt struck him square on the shoulder! Bowser roared from the sting, but it subsided quickly, only leaving a bruise.

"PAPA!" Ludwig shouted.

"Don't worry Ludwig!" Bowser grunted as he picked himself up, rubbing his arm. "Papa's okay!"

Ludwig spun around in time to see a bolt coming towards him! He jumped out of the way, sliding across the clouds, but dropping Lemmy! Lemmy rolled out of his blanket, luckily unscathed due to the ground being so soft. Meanwhile, the kid in the cloud cackled, enjoying his idea of fun.

"LEMMY!" Ludwig made a mad dash for his brother, who was 10 feet away. The pink headed kid on the cloud tilted his head with amusement, then steered his cloud and dove in for Lemmy! Bowser could only watch helplessly, unable to move his legs. Ludwig saw the child diving for Lemmy, and, knowing he wasn't fast enough, dove in for a belly slide, throwing Lemmy up in the air when he barely reached him!

The cloud crashed into Ludwig, sending the blue haired child flying. Bowser finally felt his legs move as he opened up his arms, catching his son! Luckily, he wasn't hurt. "Ludwig, are you okay?" the Koopa King asked.

The kid only turned around. "Lemmy!" he shouted. Indeed, Lemmy was beginning his descent, covering his eyes with an audible whimper. The kid menace was directly below him, laughing his head off.

WHAM! Lemmy fell on top of the kid! The latter got up and groaned, then found the small Koopaling on top of his head! Panicking, the kid thrashed about, only for Lemmy to laugh. Eying the shades the Koopa Kid wore, the baby reached for them and took them! His mount noticed and gave a final buck, sending Lemmy flying!

"Lemmy!" Ludwig leapt out of his father's arms, sliding once again and catching his little brother! Bowser gave a sigh of relief as he followed shortly behind. Just then, the kid menace leapt off of his cloud and charged towards Lemmy.

"Raaaaawr!" the kid roared. Ludwig saw the shades Lemmy held in his hands and gently took them, ignoring the charging child. The purple shelled Koopa tried to take them back, only for Ludwig to grin and hold them away from his reach. Growling, the kid menace reached hardet, to no avail. Ludwig laughed, enjoying a little bit of revenge. Bowser watched behind them, unsure what to do.

Finally, the kid sat down and started to cry. Ludwig stopped grinning in surprise. Feeling a bit bad, he finally gave the shades back, to the joy of the slightly younger kid. But as soon as he set them on his face, the kid grew a cool expression, topped off with folded arms. Bowser chuckled and picked up Ludwig, who was still holding Lemmy.

"You did very good, Ludwig," he complimented. The crazy haired Koopaling grinned. "Now, where did you come from, little guy?" Bowser watched as the kid looked back at him.

"Oh thank goodness! You calmed him down!" a voice called from above.

"Hm?" The Koopa King turned around. A battered up looking stork flew down. He was a mess. His feathers were charred and he looked like he was smashed into a wall several times. "Who're you?"

"I'm Stanley, from Child Delivery Services. You see, I was tasked with bringing this kid," he pointed to the purple shelled Koopa," to a family. Unfortunately, they didn't want him, so by CDS law, I had to return him. But then, he sorta flailed and distracted me, and before ya know it, he falls out of his blanket onto a stray Lakitu cloud and...and..." Stanley gave an exhausted sigh. "Well, you know the rest."

"I...see..." Bowser finally replied, speechless.

"Anyway, thank you, Your Majesty." Stanley gave a quick bow, not caring that he should've bowed earlier. "I'll just be taking the kid back now."

"Hold on." Bowser stopped the stork before he could pick up the kid. "How about... I adopt him?"

"WHAAAAAAAAT?!" Stanley stood with his beak agape. "You actually WANT this kid?!"

"He didn't seem so bad when Ludwig calmed him down. Besides, I like this kid's style."

The kid heard this and snapped his fingers. "Mm-hm."

"Oh thank you thank you THANK YOU, Sire!" Stanley shook the smiling king's hand severeal times. He then pulled a clipboard out of nowhere. "I'll just need you to sign here, here, there, here, initial this, and another signature here please." Bowser did so, glancing down to see Ludwig and Lemmy looking at him uncertainly.

"You'll get a new brother soon, you two!" Bowser said, trying to get them excited. The two didn't respond.

"THANK YOU so much again, Sire!" Stanley put the clipboard away. "Bye! Oh boy, this'll get me the Employee of the Month spot for sure!" He flew away.

The kid looked up at his new family, examining them at first. Ludwig hopped down from his father, then inspected the kid as well. He pointed to him.

"Brother?" Meanwhile, the new child spied a hammer from Bowser's bag and picked it up.

"Yup, your new brother!" The new kid swung the hammer around aimlessly due to the weight.

"But Papa-!" WHAM! The new kid had hit Ludwig on the back of the head!

"ACK! LUDWIG, ARE YOU OKAY?! HEY KID, WHY'D YOU DO THAT?!" Bowser shouted. His new son winced, then bowed in apology. Whether it was sincerely or fake, the king didn't know. "Aw boy, c'mon, let's get you both home." Bowser picked up Ludwig, Lemmy in his other arm, and headed for the Clown Kar. "You can carry that bag of hammers if you like," he told his new son.

His son obeyed and followed. During their descent down the now sunny sky, Bowser pondered for a name. "You kids are my blessings, my rays of sunshine. So you should all have cool names and stuff. Hm... Rays." A rainbow in the distance caught his eye. "Look, son, a rainbow."

"Huh."

"Look there, it's red, orange, yellow, green, blue, indigo, and violet. Isn't it cool?"

"Meh."

"I remember a way to remember the colors. Roy G. Biv."

"Hm?"

"Oh, sorry if that bored you. Just something I wanted to-"

"Hm... Roy." The kid smiled.

"Oh, you like Roy? You want that to be your name?"

"Hm... Yeh... Roy!" He nodded approvingly.

"Alright then! Roy it is!" Bowser laughed heartily as they descended down to his castle. Inside...

Ludwig finally woke up, a bag of ice sliding off his head as he sat up. Bowser was on the other side of the room, holding a smiling Lemmy. A purple shelled kid stood beside him.

"Feeling better, Ludwig?" Ludwig nodded, then eyed the new kid again.

"Um, Papa?" He pointed to the kid.

"This is your new brother, Roy! Your mother dropped him off. Y'know, 'cause he was staying with her all this time." Roy approached his brother, who rubbed his head. Roy extended a hand.

"Ah. Nice ta meetcha, Roy!" Ludwig shook his brother's hand.

* * *

"So that's my story..." Roy smiled. "Huh. Even back then, I was King o' the Sky!"

"Hehe. Who cried when Ludwig stole your shades," Larry sneered.

"What was that?" Roy cracked his knuckles.

"Oh, nothing, nothing."

"Good. Thought so."

Inside, Lemmy and Iggy applauded a little. "That's a really obscure way of finding a child," Lemmy commented.

"It was, wasn't it?" Bowser chuckled.

"Ooh! Ooh! Can we hear my story next, King Dad?!" Iggy asked, the same hype in his eyes as when he drinks his morning cup of coffee (which he skipped today).

"How about after lunch?" Bowser pointed to a nearby clock. It was noon.

"Aww..." Iggy slumped. Then he perked up in excitement and anticipation. "Okay! Hehe! Let's go get some tacoooos!" He giddily jumped up and dashed out the door.

"W-Wait for me, Iggy!" Lemmy called out. He jumped up and rolled after his suddenly hyper brother. "And it's not Tuesday!"

Bowser chuckled and got up as well, following his two sons. But as he exited the doors of the throne room, he noticed Roy and Larry standing there. "Roy? Larry? Were you two listening?"

"Yeah, of course," Roy answered. "I mean, why WOULDN'T I wanna know my story?"

"Can... Can we listen to the others' stories later?" Larry asked. Bowser ruffled his hair.

"Of course," he replied. "Now, let's eat lunch." He started off towards the dining hall, followed by the two smiling Koopalings.

* * *

Me: Yes, the Koopa Klan has a Taco Tuesday. Oh hey, it's Tuesday today. But we don't have tacos. Oh well. Just so you know, next time won't be a backstory. Next time'll be an... Intermission! (DUN DUN DUUUUUUN.) See ya next time!


	5. Brotherly Bond

Me: Arrrgh sorry for the weird chapter. I'll admit, I am sort of in a block. After all, it's not exactly easy finding obscure ways of finding children. Don't worry, but I might be a little slow from this point. Not too slow, but a little slow.

* * *

Wendy laid down on her bed, her eyes red and puffy. It was dark in her extravagantly pink room. For once, Wendy's bow drooped on her head, as she didn't bother fixing it.

'How could I not be Daddy's girl?' she asked herself. 'If none of us are his children except Jr., then who's my real family? Does this mean I'm not actually royalty? And all the people I've lived with all these years aren't my family? Boy, I get all soul searchy when I'm all depressed, don't I? Hm.'

She felt herself relax a little after the moment of reflection. Suddenly, the intercom in her room rang. After a quick minute of hesitation, Wendy staggered out of bed and picked it up. She stayed silent for a moment before speaking, trying not to sound like she'd been crying.

"Hello?"

"Wendy, are you okay?" It was Bowser.

"Y-Yeah! Why wouldn't I be, King Dad?"

"Well, you know..."

"I'm fine, King Dad. Don't worry."

"Well, you want some lunch? It's Meat Monday."

"No thanks..."

"You sure?"

"Maybe later..."

"Alright then." Bowser hung up. Wendy heaved another sigh and flopped back onto her bed.

* * *

Meanwhile...

* * *

Iggy happily chowed down on his sandwich next to Lemmy. It was empty at the table without Wendy or Ludwig. Morton was still in his phase of silence, but at least he was okay now. Junior looked as if he was indifferent, but everybody could tell he was a little down from the news. On a usual day, the table would be full of chatter. And occasionally Roy bashed on Iggy a few times. Of course, nobody really felt like being themselves right then.

"Listen kids," Bowser said as he tapped on a glass. "I want you all to know that I'm still your father. I love you all the same, and just because you're not my birth children doesn't mean I love you any less." Nobody said anything, but most of them smiled at the announcement. After all, Bowser wasn't one to be sappy.

"Can we get back to where we left off on how you found us all, King Dad?" Lemmy asked.

"Of course. But later, at 6. This time, all of you can come. Somebody get Wendy and Ludwig when we're done, too."

Lunch continued as usual. Lemmy and Iggy also filled everybody else in on how Ludwig, Lemmy, and Roy were found. After lunch, the Koopalings dispersed for a while waiting for 6 o'clock to come. The "twins" found Larry heading to the upstairs' west wing, where all the bedrooms were, instead of the garden like usual.

"Hey Larry!" Lemmy called, rolling up to him. The blue haired Koopaling turned around.

"Hey guys," he casually greeted.

"Where you going?" Iggy asked.

"I'm gonna see if Ludwig wants to come."

"Ohhh okay," Iggy responded. "You want us to come..."

"Or you think Ludwig would only want one of us?" Lemmy finished.

"Mm I think I'll go alone. You know how he is when he's upset."

"Okay then. We'll see ya around!" The "twins" ran off as Larry sighed. Eying Ludwig's bedroom door, he prepared to attempt to talk to his brother. Larry turned the doorknob. It was unlocked. Usually when Ludwig was upset, the door was locked. Larry opened the door nonetheless.

The room was as neat and organized as ever. Books on chemistry were piled neatly on a desk. A rack of vials and sealed flasks containing potions sat beside them. The bedsheets were folded and the furniture looked dusted. It was like one of those furnished houses you go to when you're browsing houses. But Ludwig was nowhere to be seen.

"Ludwig?" Larry called softly. He closed the door behind him. "Ludwig?" Larry moved a little closer to the bed. Then, his eye caught a small note on the pillow. Picking it up, Larry, of course, read it. "'I'm out right now. Leave.'" That's what Ludwig usually said when he was working on a project. But he always did so in secret, so nobody knew where to look for him.

'But this is important,' Larry thought to himself. 'If I know Ludwig, he'd probably want to...' He didn't want to finish that thought. 'I have to find him!' Suddenly, the sound of a computer whirring faintly entered Larry's non visible ears. It sounded like it was...below him. But knowing the castle's room layout...there was no room below Ludwig's bedroom!

'Sweet!' Larry concluded to himself immediately. 'That must mean there are secret rooms! I knew it! I better find one for myself later. But how to get to where Ludwig is?...' Larry looked around. No actual bookcases with books to turn. His claw ran along the wall, feeling for any secret buttons. None. Maybe the carpet? Larry crouched down and felt around the carpet, looking under the bed in the process. Finally! He found a lever, and immediately pulled it.

And that's when alarms blared. The blue haired Koopaling fell back, bumping his head under the bed in the process. A red light accompanied the blaring in the room as Larry crawled back hastily.

"CRUD!" Larry shouted. 'Uggggghhhh Larry you idiot! Ludwig would never use such an obvious lever to hide a hideout! I better get ou-' A mechanical claw suddenly emerged from a hole in the wall and grabbed at Larry! He barely found enough time to roll out of the way, and leapt on the bed. But the claw grabbed him the second time it attempted, snagging Larry by the foot!

The sneaky Koopaling struggled, trying to get loose. But the claw wouldn't loosen its grip" a camera above Ludwig's bed emerged from the wall, examining Larry. Then, a speaker came out underneath the lens.

"Larry, what do you vant, er, want?" Ludwig's voice came out. Larry sighed in relief.

"Ludwig, we need to talk," Larry replied. A brief moment of pause ensued. The claw carefully lifted Larry up, and the hole it emerged from expanded. Then, quick as a flash, Larry was sucked into it!

"AaaaaaaAAAHHHHHHH!" He was dragged through a wide, metal tube! Before the young Koopaling knew it, his face met a soft landing. Groaning, he lifted his head. He was lying belly down on a mattress, in a dark room. Everywhere, on the walls, were computers of all sizes. Colorful buttons flashed every few seconds on different monitors. Larry lifted himself up from the mattress, examining the room more closely. It must've been twice as big as a Koopaling's bedroom! A few machines were placed around the room, along with a few of Ludwig's inventions. Finally, the bushy haired Kooapling in front of the biggest monitor caught Larry's attention.

"What is it, Larry? I'm very busy," Ludwig asked without turning.

"Ludwig! There you are! Love the place."

"Thank you. I decorated it myself."

"Cool... I never knew there were secret rooms in the castle," Larry awed as he looked over all the monitors. They all looked like they had...blueprints for a flying ship. It was like a blueprint for an Airship, only smaller.

"I found this room when I was 12," Ludwig said, half chuckling. He turned from his monitor. "Now, what is it that you want? I'm very busy."

"Oh! King Dad's telling us how he found all of us! Oh boy, you shoulda been there! He-"

"I know," Ludwig interrupted. "I vas listening."

"You were? How come you didn't come down then?"

"Larry, don't you understand? Bowser LIED to us. How do you know he wasn't just lying about caring vor us all these years, hm?" Larry couldn't think of something to say. "I could care less vor the stories he wants to tell. Now, if you excuse me, I'm getting back to work, so please leave."

"Ludwig, do you really think he'd lie more to us? Do you think he doesn't care?"

The elder Koopaling growled. "He only sees us as minions. Don't you get it, Larry? He's just telling you guys stories so you wouldn't quit on him."

"Please, bro, do-"

"Larry, I'm not your brother! When will you understand?" Ludwig sighed, catching himself. He stayed silent, his shoulders slumping at what he just said. "Larry, please forgive me. You know I don't mean it like that."

"I... I understand," Larry replied. "But Lemmy and Iggy filled me in. And you heard what King Dad said. He was trying to FIND your parents all these years. He asked Kamek to find them!"

"Oh really? Kamek is the best Magikoopa in all the land. He would've been able to find my parents by now."

"..." Both Koopalings were stubborn for sure. "Fine. I trust King Dad. It's not my place to try and change your opinion, but I trust him."

"... Please, just leave, Larry. I already have a lot on my mind."

"...Alright," Larry surrendered, knowing it's useless to try and convince his brother to see it all differently. The same mechanical claw from before sprung from the hole it came from above. Larry glanced once again at the monitors. "Hey, what're these blueprints for?" he finally asked. Ludwig turned around, then faced his screen again.

"... I can't tell you, brother," was all he said. He didn't need to. Larry already got an idea. He allowed the claw to grab his right arm and pull him up, tossing him harmlessly out of the hole in Ludwig's bedroom before retreating. Larry fixed his mohawk before slowly leaving the bedroom. It was only 1 o'clock. Five more hours to go.

"Hey Larry!" The Koopaling jumped at the sudden call. Lemmy rolled up next to Iggy. "Didja find Ludwig?"

Larry hesitated to answer. "N-No, I didn't," he lied. "He's not there."

"Aw... Hey, wanna go play some video games while we wait?" Iggy offered. Larry smiled.

"Sure." He followed his two brothers down the stairs (don't worry, Lemmy's fine), on the way to the game room. Yet, he couldn't help looking back one last time at Ludwig's room.

'Ludwig... I hope my theory's wrong...' he thought to himself. He shook his head and continued, following the "twins."

* * *

Me: Sorry for the weird chapter. And, (please don't kill me) I won't be getting to Iggy's story yet. Next chapter will be another intermission (DUN DUN DUUUUN). This time, a little more focus on Wendy, Morton, Roy and Junior. Also, I might be a little slow. Until next time! Which is hopefully soon! ;)

EDIT: I'm gonna be really slow for a while. Until further notice, there'll be a short hiatus. As soon as I get next chapter done, I'll post, okay. Okay. Thanks.


	6. It's Alright

Me: I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I'm sorry, so so sorry that I haven't updated! You know, school stuff. Thank you for those who reviewed. I highly appreciate those who liked my story up to this point. ;^;

* * *

Morton turned the corner of the hall, holding a piece of chocolate cake in hand. As he turned, he heard shouts and attack cries from the gym. Gulping down the last of his cake, Morton entered the gym out of curiousity.

Inside were Roy and Junior, training. Roy effortlessly socked a nearby punching bag, then jumped back when the backswing came towards him. The bald Koopaling then curled into his shell, effectively slamming into the punching bag, and as always, knocking it off the chain.

Junior, after watching the display, punched another nearby punching bag, letting out a battle cry. The child curled into his shell, but forgot to avoid the backswing. As a result, the bag hit Junior's shell, sending him flying towards Morton!

Before he could dodge, Morton got slammed into the wall! Luckily, the slam didn't damage the wall. Junior peeked out of his shell, to see Morton half glaring at him.

"Hehe... Sorry," Junior said sheepishly.

"It's fine," Morton replied as he got up and dusted himself off. Meanwhile, Roy was laughing his head off. "What're you laughing at?" Morton threateningly laughed.

He and Roy started play fighting, throwing slow punches toward each other. Junior laughed and cheered for both of them until the two large Koopalings finished by putting an arm around each other.

Contrary to popular belief, Roy and Morton were good brothers to each other. All of them were good siblings. It was only when battles were about to ensue when they would annoy each other. And of course the losing part. That led to fighting. But somehow, by the end of the week, they'd all suddenly be a well built family once again.

"So Roy," Morton started. "You hear about the boxing match going on later?"

"Heh. How wouldn't I?"

"Hot dogs and nachoes?"

"You got it."

The two grinned, forgetting about Junior. "H-Hey! Can we start training now, Roy?" he asked.

"Eh? Uh, hang on a sec, okay?"

The smaller sibling could only watch the two start chatting about the boxing program while sulking on the inside over the fact Roy was supposed to be teaching him battle moves. He promised. Roy and Morton continued chatting for what, 10-20 minutes, before Junior huffed. The prince left the room, until Roy called out.

"Hey small fry. I thought we were gonna train."

"Well, I thought so too," Junior rebutted. "But you guys are too busy talkin' it up about dumb boxing, so I'll leave." He walked down the hall, leaving a slightly stunned Roy and Morton.

"Hey," Roy called out. "Hey!" The brother started after the prince, followed by his tanner brother. "Come on! Let's teach you some fighting moves!"

"I don't wanna anymore," Junior called back. He ran into the kitchen, closing the door behind him. He leapt up from the counter onto cabinet to cabinet, like he did a bunch of times before.

"Junior?" The two walked in. They failed to notice Junior sneaking in a cabinet to hide in, even with the door opening and closing. "Where could he 'ave gone?"

"I bet he's looking for the cookies," Morton answered. "You know how he loves cookies. Especially the chocolate chip kind. I mean, who DOESN'T love those?" Roy groaned as he listened to the rant. "And peanut butter. Peanut butter's my favorite. But you know what I DON'T like? Oatmeal. I mean, who actually likes that stuff? Bleh. But macadamia and snickerdoodles are good. They're nice. You know, I could use a cookie."

An idea formulated in Roy's head as he heard a slight rustle in the nearby cabinet. He grinned, and said, "I could use one too. I know Junior keeps his favorites in that potted plant over there..."

"Don't you dare, Roy!" Junior yelled as he leapt out, somehow pouncing on the pink Koopaling's head from 6ft away. "Those cookies are mine!"

"Gyaaahh you got me," Roy faked, struggling on purpose to give the smaller kid a sense that he was strong. "Alright, alright! I won't eat the cookies! Just please don't hurt meeee!"

"Darn it, you tricked me!" Junior whined. "That's it, I'm going to my room."

"Whoa, hey, wait," Morton stopped Junior with a claw on his shoulder. "I'm sorry for intruding on the training session. It wasn't my place to steal your quality time away."

"It... It's not that, Morton. I'm not mad at you."

"Eh?"

"I'm just a little...sad. That's all." It wasn't like the crown prince to suddenly reveal his feelings like that. He turned away, then stared at the floor. It was suddenly interesting to him. Roy and Morton exchanged glances.

"Hey, c'mon, we can talk," Roy gestured to the lounge room.

"Nah, I'd, uh, rather be alone right now," Junior refused. He quickly walked out of the kitchen. Then he came back, rummaged in the potted plant in the corner and pulled out a slight dirty sealed box of cookies. "Don't touch my cookies," he casually said as he left.

Roy and Morton remained still. "Man, I wonder what he's upset about."

"You think he's upset that we're all not actual brothers?" Morton suggested.

"Oh yeah... You'd think he'd still be happy he's King Dad's kid, huh?"

"Well, you know Junior. He's actually sensitive about some things. I would know, I talk with him all the time."

"Talk WITH him, or talk TO him and not allow him a chance to speak?"

"D'aw, shut up, you. So do you think we should go after him or...?"

"I say we give him some time. Knowing our li'l bro, he'll pick himself up, like always."

"If you say so, Roy..."

Junior stared down at his bare feet as he shuffled down the hall, towards his room. Of course he was sad that he didn't have any real siblings. They were the ones who watched after him, who trained him, and made sure he knew what was right (for villains, anyway.) He'd actually thought they were connected by blood. I mean, what's a family that isn't connected by blood? To him, it was like the connection was lost. These people he'd lived with all his life, save for his Dad, wasn't his really family.

His thoughts stopped as he walked past Wendy's room. 'Nobody's heard from her all day, huh?' he thought to himself. "Wendy?" No answer. "Hey Wendy, can I come in?" Junior asked as he knocked.

"..."

"Oh hey, I-I can hear you breathing! I know you're in there!"

"..."

"I've got Double Creamy Cookies."

"..."

"I'll share some with you."

"..."

"I just wanted to know if you were okay..."

An unclicking sound was heard, and the door opened. Wendy stood at the door, her eyes dropped, and some of her eye makeup running. "I'm fine Junior. Thanks for checking up on me. There, happy?"

"You don't seem fine...?"

"Well, I AM fine!" she snapped. She paused, then sighed. "I'm sorry, Junior. I'm just...upset. That's all."

"I am too." Silence followed as Junior remembered his own sadness. "Can... Can I talk to you, Wendy? About it?" The princess looked surprised about this. The two never actually had a bond.

"Um... Sure. Come on in." The two walked in. It was still dark in the room, until Wendy turned on her heart-shaped lamp on the bedside table. Junior had only been in this bedroom a few times. The walls were bright pink, as were the bed and window curtains. She even had her own TV, like the others.

"Junior, why are you sad out of all of us?" Wendy asked, not facing her brother.

"I... I just wanted my own siblings..."

"Well, we ARE your siblings. And you even have King Dad. You're actually related to him."

"Yeah, b-but I mean... I wanted siblings that I actually have a connection to."

"Connection?"

"Like, a blood connection. Like we can sense something wrong in each other as if we share a special bond."

Wendy was surprised at how deep this little kid thought. "That's...deep. But we DO share a special bond. We've all been around since you were born, because we ARE your siblings. We live together, and we care about each other, don't we?"

"Do...you really care, Wendy?"

"Of course I do. Why else would you be here, in my room?"

"I-I thought that since now we aren't siblings, that you guys would, um..."

"What is it?"

"That you'd all stop caring about me as your brother..." Tears peeked out of the corner of his eyes, prompting him to rub them away.

"Junior, that's ridiculous!" Wendy assured.

"Oh yeah? Roy said he'd give me training on fighting, but he stopped when Morton came in."

"Well, that's just because they still know there's still a brotherly bond between them. Just because me and the others are adopted doesn't change the fact that you're still our brother and we care about you!"

"R-Really?"

"Take it from me. I'm the smartest. Well, next to Ludwig and Iggy of course..."

"Is that what you were crying about too?"

The princess sniffed. "Yeah... Yeah, it was. I just forgot, that's all. Remember Junior, it's not a blood relation that defines a family. Got it? Geez, this preaching must sound ridiculous..."

Wendy was surprised when Junior suddenly hugged her. "Thanks, big sis..."

"Thank you too, bro. Hey, come on. Let's go see if Roy's still up for your training session."

"Yay!" Junior ran out, box of cookies still in hand. Wendy stayed for a second, smiling. "Are you comin', Wendy?"

"Coming!"

* * *

Me: See kids? This is why you shouldn't suddenly stop writing. Your quality shall drop. I dunno when I'll update again, or if it'll get any better. But I'm not quitting on this for a looong while. Man, if only Lemmy Land was still up. Anyway, see you guys later! :3


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